Strategy for emergency sealing of mine districts and new applications in difficult cases

Project details

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Objective

To devise a strategy for sealing off districts taking account of the range of conditions obtaining in the mine in order to ensure better control of working time and stopping quality, especially in difficult cases with a complicated access layout.We have tested various devices:

These devices have been installed at the face and some of them have actually been used in emergency situations.The Lorraine Area has been able to confirm the merits of the techniques for the construction of stoppings to seal off fire areas which were devised in the research covered by ECSC Agreement No 7258/02/122/03.

Experience has shown, however, that these techniques must be integrated within an overall strategy so that they can be put into practice quickly in difficult layouts.

One approach is to plan for the possibility that the district may have to be sealed off in an emergency when it is first being designed, e.g. by specifying the position and type of stopping to be used.

The stoppings could also be partly constructed in advance while the district is being developed (the preparations could also be specified during planning of the district).

Another approach is to find means of constructing stoppings more quickly and from a distance in order to minimize exposure of the rescue workers to the risks associated with this type of work (heat, explosion, etc.).

The possibility of using new equipment and materials will also be investigated and assistance may be sought from research establishments and/or suppliers.

The time required to construct stoppings could be minimized by forming teams of rescue workers specially trained in sealing-off techniques.